Dogs Trust helps set green standards
Many dog owners are understandably concerned about the various threats to the planet. Perhaps because we dog owners spend so much time outside with our best pals, many of us really appreciate the wonders of nature. It is only a short step from admiring the beauty of the world to wanting to intervene to stop it from being damaged irreparably. The pro-conservation mindset of many dog owners is being reflected by the behaviour of progressive dog charity, the Dogs Trust.
The charity has constructed a wonderful carbon neutral complex at Shrewsbury. The building has been designed with great care and is now being used as an example to influence architects. The building is thus more than a remarkable sanctuary for its canine residents. It cost over £5 million to redevelop the facility in an environmentally friendly fashion. Solar panels, insulation and a biomass energy scheme have all worked together to reduce the carbon footprint of the building, while appropriate vegetation has been planted in the grounds.
The Shrewsbury centre opened in the summer of 2011. It is helping the twin causes of dogs and planet by serving as an inspiration for a similar scheme in Loughborough. This will come to fruition in spring 2012. The Loughborough scheme is apparently proceeding according to plan if a recent news story is to be believed.
As well as impressing a plethora of visitors, the Shrewsbury centre has been accredited favourably by individuals using the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method as a way of recognising its value. It must be hoped that its residents are just as pleased with their surroundings as the environmentalists are.
